Priority Client
by Eowyn77
Summary: Breaking Dawn. Lawyer J. Jenks gets to know Mr. Jasper. I began this over on R&T but since the site is down I'm continuing it here. Enjoy!
1. Chapter 1

Paul Elliot opened the door to the conference room and bobbed his head for me to enter. A young man, blond and very pale, sat at the head of the table, scrutinizing me over steepled fingers. He was in a fashionably conservative black suit, his youth an odd contrast with the professional attire. He didn't stand or offer to shake my hand.

Paul turned to him deferentially. "This is the candidate we were discussing, Mr. Jasper."

Wordlessly, the stranger gestured for us to sit. His startlingly light-brown eyes watched my every move as I crossed the room. I pulled out a chair beside Paul, putting him between me and the mysterious Mr. Jasper.

As a lawyer, I had a sense about authority. Knowing the style an individual judge used to rule his courtroom was an important element of presenting a case. This Mr. Jasper had the air of someone who was supremely confident. In a judge, I would consider it overconfidence. Here, with Paul's reaction to him, I guessed the confidence was well-founded. Mr. Jasper knew this room belonged to him, and he knew exactly how to work the situation to achieve his ends.

"Mr. Jasper represents a family I've been pleased to work with for more than a decade now," Paul began, "and you have been discreet in some of my lesser unofficial concerns."

_Kubarev_ was a lesser concern? Because of that case, I had to fake my own death. Mr. Jasper was bigger than _him?!_

"Mr. Jasper and his family members require the utmost skill and wisdom of their business associates. Because he is a priority client, he has requested to meet with you before I offer you a partnership in my practice. I trust his judgment and welcome his opinion on the matter."

_Partnership._ The thought should have been thrilling. Had anyone else been sitting at the head of the table, it would have been. But with Mr. Jasper's almost cat-yellow eyes pinning me to my seat, I was more stunned than thrilled. Paul wasn't the one calling the shots. If I became his partner, Mr. Jasper would own me. I could feel it, the cold knowledge creeping into my bones. All the money, afll the pleasure of outwitting the opposition so thoroughly that they didn't even realize they'd been duped, it would be mine only if Mr. Jasper permitted it.

What the hell was Paul getting me into?

"I've seen your résumé, and it's rather impressive." Mr. Jasper's voice was low but almost... melodious. He'd be a musician. I'd bet money on it.

"Academic accolades," he continued, "several significant cases won, arguments and personal conduct that display alacrity and wit." He sat up straighter, his eyes narrowing slightly. "Useless, really, when you get right down to it. Character is what matters – to me and to mine. Tell me, would you kill to protect a client's secrets?"

I floundered. What kind of interview question was that? He meant it seriously, though. I realized my mouth was hanging open, and I straightened my spine. "I cannot imagine myself ever being in such a situation. I would hope that I would never be so stupid as to find myself needing to take lethal action. I cannot tell you for certain that I would."

Mr. Jasper nodded, his lips turning up slightly with approval. He paused, his lion-eyes searching mine, and asked, "Would you die to protect a client's secrets?"

"For the right client," I blurted out, "I would."

His expression was stone still. "Who would be the right client?"

I flushed but answered truthfully. "The one who would make my death much slower and more painful than the man standing in front of me at the time."

Mr. Jasper barked out a laugh, and it seemed like the air itself sparkled. Or maybe it was just my relief. His wide smile, however, made him look positively leonine. Hungrily leonine. "We understand one another, then."

"I believe so, Mr. Jasper."

"Excellent!" He turned the disturbing smile on Paul. "He's your man."

He rose then and extended his hand. I accepted it numbly, and his touch was as cold as death.


	2. Chapter 2

A/N If you'll strangle anyone who devulges the slightest detail from Midnight Sun, please stop reading now. Otherwise, I'll tell you about a detail so minor that it really doesn't constitute a spoiler, but it's the basis of this chapter. Edward mentions in passing that Maria came to visit them once in Calgary and that it had been an "eventful visit." Knowing this will clear up a few things in this chapter. Enjoy!

* * *

The phone on my desk buzzed, and I smiled apologetically at the drug runner opposite me. "I am sorry, Mr. Daniels. It's Maria, my new secretary," I said by way of explanation. "She doesn't appreciate how important a client you are."

He grunted noncommittally. "There's word that you're helping Aimes, too."

At my confused expression, he added, "In Portland."

Ethically, a lawyer wasn't supposed to take clients with rival interests. Those rules were for people who were stupid – people who got caught. "I don't have any clients in Portland," I answered completely truthfully. Mrs. Aimes lived in Lake Oswego in an upscale suburb. Maximizing her markets. Beautiful woman.

Daniels reached into his jacket and I inwardly groaned. Why did everyone always think that waving a gun around was the answer to everything? There was a reason I took these clients only on one day of the week.

Sure enough, he pulled out a handgun. I sat very still, my hands resting in plain sight on top of the desk.

I'd only kept him as a client for sentimental reasons. He was the first unofficial client Paul had trusted me with. Daniels was a grubby nobody, but he'd been my big break. It saddened me that I'd have to take a hit out on him now.

I startled in the tense silence when my phone insistently buzzed again, twice this time.

"Do you want your Customs certificates, Mr. Daniels?" I asked him softly. Soothingly.

"I want the truth," he snarled, "and nobody lies to a bullet."

He was as crooked as they came, and he wanted the truth?

A gust of wind changed the world that day. I felt it, like a fan on my face, and then Mr. Jasper was standing beside my desk, Daniels' gun resting carelessly on the polished wood within easy reach of the intruder's hand.

"My appointment begins now," Mr. Jasper said coldly.

He was staring down Daniels. I would have felt smug as he gaped first at Mr. Jasper and then at his empty hand – would have if I wasn't even more terrified than he was.

"Go." Mr. Jasper's melodious voice was rough, almost harsh. He didn't need to add _if you value your life_. The menace radiating off him was palpable.

Daniels cowered and slunk out of the office. I desperately wished I could follow my would-be assassin. At least a bullet was quick.

"I need new birth certificates for the entire family."

New birth certificates meant they were relocating.

Paul had warned me about this. If Mr. Jasper didn't call ahead for an appointment, then be very, very careful. The spontaneous visits felt the most dangerous. And watch the news.

I'd heard about the family in Calgary – a mother, father, and three kids had all been killed. Cadaver dogs found them a couple of days ago, buried up in the mountains. It wasn't until Mr. Jasper appeared in my office that I put two and two together. The youngest kid was only two. She was practically a baby. The Cullens hadn't even spared her. The family had been ranchers. They were nobodies. No money, no turf. They'd just been wiped out.

Why?

When I looked up at Mr. Jasper – he still stood, looming over me – I swear my heart froze solid. His lion-eyes were burgundy.

Fifteen years between me and Paul, and Mr. Jasper had never aged a day, never a different haircut or length, never a change in weight or build. I knew there was something different – otherworldly – about him. The fact that he never changed was all the evidence I needed.

But this!

I shuddered under his intense gaze but couldn't look away. The shudder became trembling, and he closed his eyes, turning to face the window. "Yes," he said softly. "We need to leave Canada."

I took a few deep breaths, trying to settle down. _Yup, _said a little voice in the back of my mind, _should have left with Daniels and risked the gun._

I had tried not to speculate about it. Halloween made it hard. Was he an alien? Something angelic was unlikely; violent or mysterious death seemed to follow him. Something demonic? I wasn't exactly bound for heaven myself, though I'd seen too much to ever really have believed in it in the first place.

Whatever he was, the red eyes made this much certain – he was a monster.

"I need the usual papers for such an event." His voice was even. Professional. "US birth certificates, passports, school records, etc. And a new medical license for Mr. Carlisle. Make it Dartmouth University this time. You'll also need to hack in and make it official in the computer records."

"Of course."

"Can you have it done in two days?"

I almost choked. "Not if you want me to personally do it. I could subcontract – "

The words died in my throat. His eyes – already red – burned with fury.

"I'll do it. But I'll need a week at least."

"Fine. But I'll triple your rush fee if you can do it in less. Oh. And your new secretary? Fire her."

She'd tried to buzz me; I was the one who didn't pick up. If he were any other client, I'd just move her to my other office, but this was Mr. Jasper. Better her than me. I'd give her a good recommendation.

He strode from the room, inexplicably muttering, "I am never again speaking to _any_ woman named Maria. _Never_."


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3

Max was aggravating, interrupting an estate inventory because some skirt. . .

"Oh right. Wait. She says her name is Bella Cullen. That help?"

There was no _Bella_ Cullen.

My lips went cold with panic. Cullen! Someone knew the name. Someone was impersonating them. Someone was hunting them down, tracing them. Following them to _me_!

_"Would you die to protect a client's secrets?"_

What I said next wasn't something I would have used in front of a client or my mother. The nuns from grade school would have keeled over dead if they'd heard me. When I finally had to pause for breath, I yelled, "Why the hell didn't you tell me?" Was this his idea of a joke?

"Because you didn't ask!" he all but screamed back.

I forced myself to calm down. Swearing wasn't going to help. Brains would.

"Pale and beautiful?"

"I said that, didn't I?"

It had to be another one like him, like his family.

"Son of a bitch. She's a priority client! If I see so much as a hint of your grimy fingerprints on her, I'll feed you to the sharks. I personally know two people that want your head and I'll give 'em a coin toss for you if you mess this up. Got it? Send her to my office. Now!"

"But you only meet downtown clients on Thurs – "

"Idiot! Didn't I just tell you she's a priority client!"

"Okay, okay! On it."

I dropped the receiver. She was coming here. I paced the room nervously, desperately wishing there was time to slip out and pick up some cigarettes. I'd quit years ago, but the addiction – the need – for a smoke never really went away.

This Bella would be here in less than twenty minutes. Another monster, coming to call. The thought sent me bolting to the bathroom, where I upchucked my lunch. Mexican food had been a _bad _choice today. I shakily rinsed out my mouth and staggered back to my office, trying to get a grip on myself.

It wouldn't do to think of her as a monster. She was a client, potentially dangerous but that was part of the thrill.

Think! Be rational!

Either she was who she said she was, or she wasn't. I examined both possibilities, frantically pacing the room.

What if she really was a Cullen? Then my resources were at her full disposal. But why the change in procedure? _Thirty-five years_, and Mr. Jasper hadn't trusted Paul or me with so much as a single photograph of the others. Why would he send in an unknown member of the family? A test?

It was a possibility. Certainly it was the most comforting one.

But what if she wasn't really a Cullen? I'd realized a while ago that there was something out there more powerful than Mr. Jasper, or at least powerful enough to make him run whenever people died. I'd just assumed that Mr. Jasper would be a buffer between that power and me. For twenty years, he had. If Bella was part of that power, whatever was hunting him was now hunting me. I sank weakly into my chair, the bile rising again at the thought.

After rummaging through my desk for a moment, I found a mint and desperately sucked on it. Another thought, the most hopeful yet, occurred to me then. Maybe it was a human impersonating Mr. Jasper's kind. That seemed more likely. How many monsters could be out there? If there were demons and angels battling it out in the streets, it would have been news long before I was around to read about it. Maybe somebody else – somebody human – figured out the connection between Mr. Jasper's family and the mysterious deaths and they were trying to get to the bottom of it. She claimed I knew her sister? Whoever Bella was, she obviously didn't know that my only contact was Mr. Jasper. Most likely she was an outsider trying to bluff her way into getting information out of me.

Still, I didn't dare turn her away. If Mr. Jasper came to me with questions, I needed to have some answers. I glanced at the clock; it had been about fifteen minutes since Max called.

I buzzed the front desk. "April! I'm expecting a Ms. Cullen shortly. Send her in immediately. Do you understand? I don't care what it's interrupting." Mr. Jasper had forgiven me for making him wait that day with Daniels, but I had no idea what kind of temperament this Bella would have.

"She's just arrived."

"What? Send her in! What are you waiting for?"

"Right away, Mr. Scott!"

I put my head between my knees, trying to keep the nerves from overwhelming me again.

I heard my secretary open the door and sat upright. "Here you are," she told my visitor.

"Close the door behind you," I told April.

I turned to face Bella Cullen. She was ethereally beautiful, even more so than Mr. Jasper. Undoubtedly, she was like Mr. Jasper. A monster. I shuddered. That was nothing compared to when I met her eyes, though. They were a strange, flat brown – almost brick-colored. It took half a second to realize what I was seeing – brown contacts over red irises. Death was in _her _wake, too.

With a shaky breath, I respectfully stood and offered her my hand. Coward that I was, I couldn't bring myself to come out from behind the scanty protection of the desk. "Ms. Cullen. What an absolute delight."

Her icy hand grasped mine, and I couldn't help reacting. Making a deal with another devil.

"Mr. Jenks. Or do you prefer Scott?"

I flinched. She knew everything – my real name, my alias. She probably even knew about Kubarev. "Whatever you wish, of course."

"How about you call me Bella, and I call you J?"

"Like old friends," I gratefully agreed, resuming my seat. It was too easy, her relaxed manner. She must be after information. I needed a test _right now_, some way to know if she really was who she said she was. I'd slip up, otherwise. "I must ask, am I finally meeting Mr. Jasper's lovely wife?"

She paused for a heartbeat, as though taken off-guard. "His sister-in-law, actually."

I pursed my lips, considering. Bella had dodged that trap, so that made her either extremely knowledgeable or legit. If she was that knowledgeable, I decided, she wouldn't need to go through me. I'd have to operate on the working assumption that she really was a Cullen. That still didn't explain the change in procedure, though. "I trust Mr. Jasper is in good health?"

"I'm sure he is in excellent health. He's on an extended vacation at the moment."

Why not? Even monsters needed a break from the daily grind. "Just so. You should have come to the main office. My assistants there would have put you straight through to me – no need to go through less hospitable channels."

Bella nodded obediently, and I almost smacked myself in the forehead. _WHAT AM I DOING? Chewing out a Cullen?_ "Ah well," I said, trying to recover, "you're here now. What can I do for you?"

Her ringing, bell-like voice was sure. "Papers."

"Certainly. Are we talking birth certificates, death certificates, drivers' licenses, passports, social security cards. . .?"

Bella smiled, but something about her expression was off. Even if she really was part of Mr. Jasper's family, something was wrong here. Her voice was rougher, almost human, when she answered, "Two birth certificates, two passports, one driver's license."

"The names?"

"Jacob Wolfe and Vanessa Wolfe."

Two more names I didn't know, and Mr. Jasper's family never changed their first names. Fishing for more information, I asked, "Middle names?"

"Just put something generic in."

"If you prefer. Ages?"

"Twenty-seven for the man, five for the girl."

It was the girl's age that cemented my suspicions. The youngest any member of the family claimed to be was fourteen.

All this information was inherently a lie. If Mr. Jasper came hunting her, I needed _something_ useful for him. There was only one sure truth in any of the documents I did – the face. "I'll need pictures if you prefer finished documents. Mr. Jasper usually liked to finish them himself."

"Hold on." She rummaged in her purse for a moment, and the action struck me as remarkably human. I'd never seen Mr. Jasper so disorganized. Then she passed me a photo. "Here you go."

Ah, finally. The truth. "Your daughter is very like you."

"She's more like her father."

"Who is not this man." I regretted the words as soon as I spoke them. It was giving away far too much.

Bella's expression darkened. There was death in her concealed demon-eyes. I broke out in a cold sweat.

"No. That is a very close friend of the family."

I was surprised by the tone of her voice; it was more suspicious than furious. Maybe I _would_ get out of this alive – if I kept my big mouth shut. "Forgive me. How soon will you need the documents?"

"Can I get them in a week?"

"That's a rush order. It will cost twice as – but forgive me. I forgot with whom I was speaking."

"Just give me a number." She sounded exasperated.

I jotted it down on a piece of paper and handed it to her. She opened her purse and began to count out the money, standard operating procedure, but to my utter amazement, she continued until the full sum sat on my desk.

"There."

Was this Mr. Jasper's way of testing my honesty? "Ah, Bella, you don't really have to give me the entire sum now. It's customary for you to save half to ensure delivery."

She gave me a tired smile. "But I trust you, J. Besides, I'll give you a bonus – the same again when I get the documents."

_She trusted me?_ No one was that naïve! No one! I mean, I was a lawyer, and a crooked one at that. Even mere mortals weren't that innocent – and she was a monster. What _was_ going on here? "That's not necessary, I assure you."

"Don't worry about it. So I'll meet you here next week at the same time?"

How to delicately explain that one? "Actually, I prefer to make such transactions in places unrelated to my various businesses."

"Of course. I'm sure I'm not doing this the way you expect."

"I'm used to having no expectations when it comes to the Cullen family." Except being deadly, immortal, and filthy rich. "Shall we meet at eight o'clock a week from tonight at The Pacifico? It's on Union Lake, and the food is exquisite."

"Perfect."

She sealed the deal with another cold-as-death hand-shake, but I was expecting it this time. What I wasn't expecting was the way I couldn't get that little girl's face out of my mind. I'd dealt with enough family law that I had a good hunch as to why she might need these papers. I wondered idly if "flight risk" would be literal with a Cullen.

"Will you have trouble with that deadline?"

"What?" I looked up, hoping my expression hadn't given away my suspicions. "The deadline? Oh, no. No worries at all. I will certainly have your documents done on time."

Bella seemed unconvinced, but she shrugged it off. "Then I'll see you in one week."


	4. Chapter 4

I sat in my car, my head resting against the steering wheel, forcing myself to breathe slowly and deeply.

The messiest, most acrimonious cases were always custody ones. The expense and even violence to which some people would go to control the fate of their children was unlimited. And those were mere mortals.

Mr. Jasper owned me. The one and only time he shook my hand had been to accept my allegiance. It was my swearing in, as it were, to his service. But I'd taken Bella's hand, too, before I realized that she was going to be crossing Mr. Jasper. Now I was caught in the middle.

Truth be told, if I had to infuriate one of them, I probably would do better taking my chances with Bella. She gave off an aura of kindness that I'd never felt around Mr. Jasper. Her handshakes felt like greetings, not an assertion of dominance. She wore contacts over her red eyes. She asked me to call her by her first name.

Bella might kill me to protect herself from Mr. Jasper, but if Mr. Jasper found out I'd helped the woman who crossed him, I had no doubt it my death would be long and painful. Or at least I tried to comfort myself with that thought.

With all the courage I could muster, I picked up my briefcase, opened the car door, and strode into the restaurant. I would shower her with compliments, I decided. Try to soften her toward me before I made it clear that if she forced me to choose, I wouldn't choose her. Cushion it as best I could.

When the maître d' showed me to the private dining room, Bella was already there, looking like an angel beside the hearth. The irony of the thought didn't escape me. "I'm sorry I'm late." Making her wait was hardly a good way to begin buttering her up.

"No, you're exactly on time."

She extended her hand, and I was again struck by how human the gesture was. But I could hardly praise her on that point. "You look stunning, if I may be so bold, Mrs. Cullen."

"Thank you, J. Please, call me Bella."

"I must say, it's a different experience working with you than it is with Mr. Jasper. Much less. . . unsettling." I realized that didn't exactly come out as a compliment.

"Really? I've always found Jasper to have a very soothing presence."

What sort of life did she live if Mr. Jasper was soothing? "Is that so?"

"Have you known Jasper long?"

She knew this already, didn't she? Another test. I answered truthfully, as though we were the confidants we were pretending to be. "I've been working with Mr. Jasper for more than twenty years, and my old partner knew him for fifteen years before that. . . ." To fill the expectant silence, I added, "He never changes." Except for the eyes.

"Yeah, Jasper's kind of funny that way."

I shook my head in disbelief. Funny? I couldn't imagine any context in which I'd use the word funny to describe him. Since I couldn't think of a flattering response to that, I said, "Won't you have a seat, Bella?"

"Actually, I'm in a bit of a hurry. I have a long drive home." She matter-of-factly offered me the ridiculous bonus, and I could hardly refuse it. The last thing I wanted to do was provoke her over something as inconsequential as money.

"Oh." I wondered what more she was buying than my forgery services. My silence? Absently, I tucked the envelope into my pocket. "I was hoping we could speak for just a moment."

"About?"

"Well, let me get you your items first. I want to make sure you're satisfied." Just in case. Just so she knew I wasn't going to actually cross her. I set my briefcase on the table and produced her documents.

She made a cursory examination of them. "Thank you."

She sounded almost choked up; these documents were extremely important to her. "I can assure you every piece is perfect. All will pass the most rigorous scrutiny by experts."

"I'm sure they are. I truly appreciate what you've done for me, J."

"It's been my pleasure, Bella. In the future, feel free to come to me for anything the Cullen family needs." I waited for her to protest, to insist that Mr. Jasper would continue handling their affairs, to admit this was a private transaction and that she wanted me to keep it a secret.

Her cool, brown-on-red eyes met mine. "There was something you wanted to discuss?"

I felt a flash of frustrated terror. She was going to make me spell out my suspicions. "Er, yes. It's a bit delicate. . ." I started to shiver – a cold sweat again – and gestured that we sit on the hearth beside the fire. The close proximity made me extremely aware that she was both extremely beautiful and lethal. Nervously, I wiped my brow with a handkerchief.

"You are the sister of Mr. Jasper's wife? Or married to his brother?" The answer could make all the difference in this deadly conflict of interest.

"Married to his brother."

The worst possible answer.

"You would be Mr. Edward's bride, then?"

"Yes."

She looked confused, and I realized I was coming across as prying. "I've seen all the names many times, you see. My belated congratulations. It's nice that Mr. Edward has found such a lovely partner after all this time." It would have been flattery if it weren't true. She was beyond lovely.

"Thank you very much."

Her reaction was much too cool and cautious for a newlywed. I wiped my brow again. "Over the years, you might imagine I've developed a very healthy level of respect for Mr. Jasper and the entire family."

She nodded silently, her eyes reminding me for just a moment of Mr. Jasper's. Almost hungry. I took a deep breath. We were to the point. My life could end in the next ten seconds, and no one would ever even find my body. If I were lucky, it would be quick.

"J, please just say whatever you need to."

I took another deep breath, feeling faint. The words came out in a rush. "If you could just assure me that you are not planning to kidnap the little girl from her father, I would sleep better tonight."

"Oh."

Bella's expression went blank. Stunned. But not angry. At least, not yet.

"Oh no, it's nothing like that at all." Her lips twitched in a chagrined smile. "I'm simply preparing a safe place for her in case something were to happen to my husband and me."

"Are you expecting something to happen?" The shock of her words made mine sharper than they should have been. That secret – the secret of the Cullens' fear – was not one Mr. Jasper had entrusted to me. I wasn't supposed to know about that. "Not that it's any of my business."

"You never know," she answered with a sigh. The pain underlying her words was obvious.

Everything clicked into place. Mr. Jasper's "vacation" was related to the unnamed threat, and the pursuit was hot enough that he wasn't available to help his sister-in-law and niece. That's why he didn't come himself. That's why she was so choked up. If Mr. Jasper was in danger, so was the rest of the family, including her daughter. "May I wish you the best of luck, then."

It was much easier than I'd expected to say these long-rehearsed words. "And please don't be put out with me, my dear, but. . . if Mr. Jasper should come to me and ask what names I put on these documents. . ."

Her smile was genuine. "Of course you should tell him immediately. I'd like nothing better than to have Mr. Jasper fully aware of our entire transaction."

Well, I told myself, one worry down, another great, big new one to throw up about. "Very good. And I can't prevail upon you to stay for dinner?"

"I'm sorry, J. I'm short on time at present."

Of course she was. Her child was in danger. "Then again, my best wishes for your health and happiness. Anything at all the Cullen family needs, please don't hesitate to call on me, Bella."

"Thank you, J."

She took up her purse, and my feelings as she left were an odd mix of relief, worry, and pity. My clients got into trouble all the time – many of them met violent ends – but something about her plight moved me. She was more damsel-in-distress than monster. I was just a feeble human, but I took comfort in knowing I'd done what I could for her.

Especially since my fate was likely linked to hers.


	5. Chapter 5

A/N Sorry about the abrupt change in POV. I originally wasn't going to include this chapter, but it was just too much fun! Hope you enjoy!

* * *

"I really wish you'd let me do it, Jasper."

I was leaning against the doorjamb of my expansive closet as he helped Alice survey the parts of my wardrobe that were due for donation. Renesmee and Edward were sitting on our bed reading Santa Rita Durão's _Caramurú_ in Portuguese as a night-time story; we'd burned through most of the English classics and were branching out. Edward was half-listening to us with an amused expression.

Now that my eyes were close enough to amber that I could get away without contacts, my little family and I were flying to visit Zafrina's coven in our first official family vacation. Both Renesmee and I needed new passports for the occasion, and that meant paying a visit to our dear forger.

Jasper passed by me to drop an armful of clothes in a huge cardboard box. "It's not safe, Bella."

"I had no problem controlling myself last time!"

Jasper glanced at Edward, and they shared a worried look.

Alice's voice echoed in my drive-in closet. "I feel like such a failure as an aunt, Nessie. You don't have a swimsuit that fits!"

Renesmee hopped off Edward's lap, eager to delay bedtime, and danced to Alice's side. "Shopping?"

"Maybe we'll ride with your mom to Seattle. Oooh! Or you could both ride with me and take the Porsche!"

"It's not that, Bella," Jasper continued, ignoring them. "He's a weak point. A vulnerability. He knows even more than Charlie does, but he has no reason to be loyal or quiet. That makes him dangerous. That's why he's only ever met me. If the Volturi ever came down on us for including a human in the deception, I would be the one who would be punished. I was the one who made all the contacts. I was the only one Jenks ever knew."

"Overprotective fool," Alice muttered.

My little girl nodded sagely. "Tell me about it." No doubt she was remembering Jacob's panic attack when Edward insisted that this be a _family _vacation, no imprinters allowed.

"Besides," Jasper added, "my talent lets me know when he's lying and yours can't."

I wasn't going to let them side-track me. "Human liars always give themselves away – heart-rate, skin temperature, cortisol in the blood. Not to mention the blush. And the Volturi aren't a risk anymore. If you don't let me do this, the poor man's going to have a heart attack and you'll have to find another forger all over again."

He shrugged indifferently. "None of them are very durable, Bella."

"I can't believe you just said that."

Edward opened his mouth, and I shoved hard against my shield. _Don't you dare side with him!_ He did a double-take, the way he always did when I surprised him like that. He'd once described it as me popping in and out of existence. I admit I felt just the tiniest bit smug that, after all the times he materialized out of nowhere when I was human, I could finally turn the tables. It really came in handy when we needed to talk about something behind Renesmee's back – if he didn't give us away.

He narrowed his eyes at me but didn't answer.

"You'll want a cover-up to go with the swimsuit," Alice mused. "And a cute sun-hat."

"Make it green," Renesmee reminded her. It was her favorite color.

Jasper seemed to register Edward's surprise, and I realized that whether or not my husband agreed out loud with him, Jasper perceived that Edward was on his side. There were getting to be too many talents in this family. Or maybe it was just truer than ever that it was impossible to keep secrets among the Cullens.

Jasper crossed his arms. "It's Machiavellian but true – it's better to be feared than loved. And I've spent a third of a century making Jenks and Elliot very afraid."

"But it's best," Renesmee said absently, carrying an armful of clothes to the donation box, "to be both feared _and_ loved."

Edward and Jasper exchanged another glance, and then Edward burst out laughing.

Alice giggled and scooped Renesmee up into her arms. "Did you know _The Prince _was based on Aro?"

Jasper relaxed his stance and rubbed Alice's arm. "What do you think?"

She didn't look up from playing with one of Renesmee's ringlets. "Looks good to me."

"What does?" I demanded.

Jasper smiled smugly. "You can take over as liaison between us and Jenks, on one condition: you allow me to formally introduce you and ratify the transfer of responsibility."

_Ratify?_ Formally introduce me? I rolled my eyes and put it down to some long-buried Southern gentility. "Fine." Then I pointed at Renesmee. "Alright, young lady. To bed!"

She collected hugs and kisses from all of us, and Alice went to tuck her in, Jasper tagging along. Renesmee had missed her so much while she was gone last December, and even though it had been months, my daughter still clung to Alice. And that was just fine with both her and Jasper.

Edward was suddenly behind me, his arms around my waist. Even though I was a vampire, he was still quick enough to catch me off my guard every now and again. "Alright, young lady," he purred softly, his delicious breath tickling my ear. "To bed."


	6. Chapter 6

I nervously stood when the door opened. At least Mr. Jasper had called ahead, even if it was only by an hour. Most likely that meant no one had died this time. Hopefully.

He stood aside, allowing Bella to enter ahead of him. She smiled warmly – nothing like Mr. Jasper. "Good to see you again, J."

The relief was almost staggering. They were both here, Bella was smiling, and Mr. Jasper looked comfortable if not actually amiable. "And you, Bella."

Mr. Jasper coughed menacingly – only he could pull off such a nuance of sound – and I corrected, "Ms. Bella."

We stood in awkward silence for a moment, and then I pulled out a chair for her.

"Thank you." She perched on the edge of the seat, and it was then I noticed that her eyes were the same cat-yellow as Mr. Jasper's.

He came to stand beside and just behind her. Like a bodyguard. His eyes never left my face.

I hesitated. Ever since that first meeting, Mr. Jasper had always stood during our interviews, but Bella – Ms. Bella – had at least gone through the motions of making me at ease. I compromised and leaned against the edge of my desk, facing them.

Mr. Jasper's lion-eyes held mine. "I know you met Bella while I was on my business trip, but I wanted to give you a better introduction to my new sister-in-law."

Odd, but then, everything about him was. "Certainly."

"You've never met my brother-in-law Emmett, but do you recall the description on his papers?"

"Yes." Curly black hair. Brown eyes. Six-foot-five and two-hundred-fifty pounds.

"Bella beat him in a wrestling match. She's much stronger than she appears."

I blinked, trying to process this. She couldn't weigh more than a hundred and ten.

"You know I couldn't do it again," Ms. Bella protested.

Mr. Jasper spoke over her. "Good thing, too. We've had a bit of a run-in with another . . . family."

There _were_ others like them!

He smiled widely at my shock. I'd long ago given up trying to hide my emotions from him. No matter how good my poker-face, he always saw through it.

"You don't need all the details, but things were pretty tense at one point. It was good we had Bella as an ace in the hole." His disturbing smile faded into something almost affectionate. "She's the one you want beside you in a pinch. Trust me. People who would happily take me on are terrified of her."

Ms. Bella closed her eyes, the hands on her crossed legs freezing in place. The sudden stillness was frightening. Her lips pursed slightly, as if she were annoyed.

When she looked at me again, her smile was sweet, or at least it wfas meant to be. All I could see were her teeth.

More dangerous than Mr. Jasper!

"In fact, that's why we came today," he continued. "Bella requested to take over my position, and I could hardly refuse _her_. She has clearly proved herself the most capable at taking care of outsiders."

"Stop it," she murmured a threatening undercurrent in her words. "You're making me blush."

Mr. Jasper snickered.

"The _real_ reason we came today is because we need two passports," Ms. Bella declared, getting down to business. Apparently she'd had enough of Mr. Jasper's introduction.

I picked up a legal pad and began taking notes.

"Unfinished," Mr. Jasper clarified.

"Of course."

"One for Isabella Cullen, age eighteen with my general description." She hesitated until I was ready again. "Address and everything is the same as the rest of the family."

"And the other?"

"Renesmee Cullen, spelled R-E-N-E-S-M-E-E. Seven years old, but use the same description as you did for Vanessa Wolfe."

"Use the current Cullen address for her as well?"

"Yes."

"And how soon do you need these?"

"A month would be soon enough."

"Shall I deliver them at the usual place? One month from today at seven o' clock?"

"Perfect."

Ms. Bella gracefully rose to her feet, and Mr. Jasper respectfully opened the office door for her. She paused there, narrowing her eyes at him and sharing a gaze with him that clearly communicated some meaning. "You go on ahead. I need a few more minutes with J."

"Whatever you wish, Bella," Mr. Jasper answered, bowing his head slightly in deference.

She rolled her eyes.

When the door closed, she gave me a timid smile. "For the record, J, I'm still just Bella, the same little old me you helped out a few months ago."

"If you prefer. Bella." It was hard to omit the "miz."

She sighed in exasperation. I wasn't fooling her. "Look. You're a lawyer. You know how sometimes people can _technically_ tell the truth, but it comes out all backwards? So that it becomes a lie. Kind of."

I nodded.

"Well, Jasper told you the truth, _kind of_. Don't believe a word of it."

The truth was she was the strongest, most dangerous creature I'd ever met – even she admitted it – but she didn't want me to believe it? _Ignore_ it?

She extended her hand. "Still friends?"

I gratefully accepted, even though her hand was as cold as Mr. Jasper's. She might want me to call her just Bella, but she was still a Cullen. Her lioness-eyes were warm, and I intended to keep it that way. "Friends."


End file.
